Naked Classroom

You know those dreams where you’re in public and you realize you are way under-clothed?

Last night I dreamed I was a Kindergarten teacher on the first day of school, and my classroom was naked. No welcome posters, no decorations, no desk tags.

And it wasn’t a planned, “The children will decorate it in the next couple weeks as we get to know each other and begin an exciting new year of learning” naked. It was an, “I don’t know what I’m doing here and I have no plan in place to fill these walls” kind of naked.

My students were milling around aimlessly because I had nothing else for them to do, and only 45 minutes of plans for the whole week. And worst of all? NO LEARNING CENTERS!

I woke up just before the students tied me up, lit the pencil box on fire and started singing that old favorite Chirstmas hymn, “Joy to the World…The Teacher’s Dead.” Oh come on! I know you at least heard it when you were a kid, even if you didn’t join in the sadistic caroling.

It doesn’t take much psychoanalysis to make the connection that, at least subconsciously, I’m scared to death of this year. I chose to have AlphaBoy forgo the Kindergarten class setting, and I have to fight to relax and let go of the pressure to bring that setting to him if I’m not going to bring him to it.

Deep breath here. It’s gonna be fine. I think my mantra (besides, “It’s Kindergarten. How hard can it be? HA!”) for the first couple weeks is going to be, “Your fears mean you are concerned about providing the best for your child. Acknowledge them, ask for God’s grace to prove them unfounded, and move on with the day.”